give German iPad to son in the US???

[glassmason]

I just renewed my t-mobile contract and as a bonus they offered me a drastically reduced price on an iPad. My husband just got me a mini iPad and I LOVE it! I don't need this bonus gift for myself but my son and his wife in NYC would probably LOVE to have an iPad. Will the bonus gift iPad I get from t--mobile work in the US? I think the bonus iPad is accepts a sim-card (as opposed to my mini which does not), and if that's the case I know my son would need to get a sim card in the US for the iPad. But otherwise, the device is usable, right????

 

[J. A.]

Hi, glassmason! Welcome to iPF from an Austrian member!

I can't tell you if the iPad will work with an US sim card. I hope someone else is able to give the information.
This is what I know from experience:
The device will work without the sim card as well, it just needs Wi-Fi to get connected to the internet.

 

[glassmason]

Thank you J.A. for the confirmation that the device will work with wireless connection to the Internet. Will see if other members respond/have experience with US sim cards in iPads distributed in Europe.

 

[Mickey330]

In my opinion, experience, the iPad should work fine with a SIM card. The issue is that your son will have to find/go to the proper carrier in order to use LTE/4G. I know we have T-Mobile here in the states and they do support the iPad. So, I see no reason why that iPad won't work on the networks here.

Of course, as J.A. Said, it'll work fine on WiFi. For cellular, the proof will be in the doing - he'll only really know once he has it and goes looking for a SIM card.

Either way, I am sure he'd be thrilled with it...

Marilyn

 

[twerppoet]

The best thing to do would be to ask your T-Mobile people. They may not know, they need to figure it out. International mobile is getting bigger, and all cellular companies had better get a handle on it and be able to answer customer's questions.

To some extent it is going to depend on the model of the iPad. If it is the older non-retinal iPad Mini, then it will probably work (on GSM only) for AT&T, T-Mobile, and a hand full of other carriers in the U.S. LTE frequencies between Europe and the U.S. vary more, so that mode will be unlikely to work.

The new iPad Mini Retina is more universal, and you should be able to find carriers for it almost anywhere in the world; certainly anywhere in Europe or North America.

Assuming it's a cellular model of course. If it is wi-fi only, the compatibility issues don't exist; wi-fi being one of the few standards that has managed to stay the same world-wide.

 

[glassmason]

Hi Marilyn,

Thanks for weighing in.... I knew t-mobile was in the States... found that out this past year going back and forth between Germany and the US (before my move) and struggling with two different iPhone devices and carriers, trying to figure out what carrier (if any) would bridge both countries and the regions where I lived. Thanks for taking the time to add your thoughts to the discussion....

Glassmason

 

[glassmason]

Thanks twerppoet,

Will go to my t-mobile place and ask if the iPad they're offering is GSM or LTE frequency.... it's a new version they're giving in this promotion but not the mini. And I'm pretty sure it's a cellular model.

Thanks for your input!